Extra Wish stories 2023
At this year’s Seeds of Change Society Luncheon, we introduced Extra Wish, our brand-new grant program to benefit our Budget for LifeTM participants. Thanks to generous givers, we were able to award ten of our B4L families with their Extra Wishes. Each of their stories is impactful and proves that being in need rarely looks the way we expect it to.
For the Wrights, receiving the Extra Wish Grant helped cover several different medical expenses.
Their son has a severe peanut allergy and asthma. Plus, they’re living on only one income and insufficient insurance coverage. Unable to afford their son’s medicine, a new EpiPen® or a rescue inhaler, the Wrights ended up in medical and credit card debt that was, in their own words, “crushing them”.
“We still continue to have faith, but it is not easy,” they said. “Because we put his wellbeing first, we’ve neglected our health. I was finally able to visit the dentist, and I need some dental work done, but we don’t have the money.”
It’s for all of these reasons that we granted the Wrights their Extra Wish.
“We are blessed to even have an opportunity to be a part of this program, and this grant will help so much!”
Tansy and Dontaves Wright
Extra Wish grant recipients
For Mardona, receiving the Extra Wish Grant was to help pay off her credit card debt, but it was also much more than that.
Not only does she work full-time and raise three kids on her own, she’s got some big goals.
“I am trying to better myself in college all while putting my son through college as well,” she said. “If I can get my credit card bill down, come August when I take my clinicals for school, I would be able to focus more. Plus, I could be more involved with the kids instead of picking up extra shifts and being too tired to go to the park. They will see me more than running around trying to make ends meet, and it would help my mental health, too.”
We were more than happy to grant her wish at this year’s Seeds of Change Luncheon.
“I do not know what’s in store for me, but Budget for Life is making my rainy days clear again. Thank you for all the effort that is put into this program!”
Mardona Castillo
Extra Wish grant recipient
For Shaday, receiving the Extra Wish Grant was to help with her car problems.
Two months ago, this single mom’s car engine went out, and she didn’t have the savings to cover the full cost. Not to mention, she has an active car loan she’s working to pay off. Shaday has been taking an Uber to get to work every day, to get her mom to doctor’s appointments and her daughter to school activities several times a week.
“There are some things my child cannot participate in due to the car issues. And I’m unable to get help from family members due to the fact they’re without a car, too,” she said. “I am a single parent, so this would help me financially get me back on track with saving money monthly in case if another emergency happens.”
Last Tuesday at our Seeds of Change Luncheon, we had the opportunity to grant Shaday her Extra Wish.
“This will be life-changing for me!” she said.
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